United has reported bookings to European destinations are up nearly 30% compared to 2019 and up almost 10% versus last year, as more Americans opt to spend their holiday dollars on experiences.
According to a recent Deloitte survey, consumer spending on holiday experiences is expected to rise 16% this year, while spending on physical gifts remain flat.
Europe’s markets are a cultural tradition dating back hundreds of years, and millions of people from around the world visit them annually to experience festive offerings like mulled wine, artisan crafts, live music, picturesque scenery and more.
As the world’s largest airline, measured by available seat miles, United says it is ready for its busiest holiday season ever and plans to offer nearly 60 nonstop flights each day from its U.S. hubs to Europe in November and December, more than any other U.S. airline.
Connecting travelers can visit even more Christmas markets with United’s partners, according to the carrier, offering seamless connections through the air with Lufthansa Group or by rail with Deutsche Bahn.
“The European Christmas markets have become even more popular in recent years and no airline makes it easier than United to get away and visit for the holidays,” said United’s Director of Atlantic and Hawaii Planning, Darren Scott.
“Stay for a week or make it a long weekend with nonstop flights and easy connections to more than 130 European cities, including the legendary markets in Dresden, Strasbourg, Vienna and Cologne.”
United’s most popular European destinations during the holiday period include London, Frankfurt, Munich, Paris and Brussels – and as the world’s largest airline, United offers more nonstop flights to Europe than any other U.S. airline.
Holiday schedule highlights include:
Daily nonstop flights to 16 European cities with holiday markets from United’s U.S. hubs, including Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Edinburgh, Zurich, Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Paris and more, and nearly 60 nonstop flights each day from U.S. hubs.
More nonstop flights than any other U.S. airline to Frankfurt, Munich and Brussels.
Only U.S. airline with year-round nonstop flights to Geneva and Berlin.
Seventeen nonstop flights per day to London from United’s U.S. hubs.
Travelers can visit even more European holiday markets thanks to United’s Lufthansa Group partnership and Deutsche Bahn railway partnership that connect travelers to more than 130 additional destinations across Europe.
Nearly 100 additional European holiday market destinations, like Cologne, Helsinki, Salzburg and Strasbourg, that customers can visit with a simple one-stop flight from United’s U.S. hubs.
Nonstop flights to Vienna from the U.S., which is home to one of the most beloved European Christmas markets.
One-stop flight to Dresden from the U.S., which is considered to have the first true Christmas market, the Striezelmarkt, first held in 1434.
Trains to 28 cities in Germany and Switzerland, connecting customers to even more holiday markets once in Europe.